I’ve been away from the blogosphere for some time now. Not really by choice, but necessity. Everyone these days is busy, so why should I be any different?

Why so busy? you ask. I’m pastoring a church full of wonderful people in the rural, mountainous region of Upper East Tennessee. Bunker Hill Christian Church has been a source of great joy for the family and me. I’ve never been a part of a small church for an extended period of time. The longest I was at a church under 3,000 people was about five months (longer if you count my home church before it grew to its current size, but it was still big when I was a child). So I’d never experienced feeling like part of a “family” at church.

Preaching twice a week, making visits, talking with people, praying, and keeping up with the pulse of the broader context keeps me fairly busy. Furthermore, my kids are nuts. Ben is 2 and a 1/2 now (what!), and Nora Jane turned 1 back in August. No matter how much they fuss or whine or steal one another’s drinks, I love ’em. Add on the fact that Lindsey is pregnant and in the midst of her 20 week pregnancy terrors, life is packed. It’s easy to look forward to 8:30pm when the kids go down and life slows down.

But fall is here. Which means, pumpkin spice everything is here. Pumpkin spice pizza? Yes please.

I’ll never forget reading a tweet by Jared Wilson (@jaredcwilson) last year having to do with pumpkin spice lattes. He had a bad one at a coffee shop and tweeted: “Why do you hate fall?” Best tweet to date in my Twitter memory.

All this to say, I’m straining forward to what lies ahead. I’m excited to write that because I’m starting an extended sermon series through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. By the time I’m done with that thing daisies will be blooming…if they bloom in the spring. I don’t know. But it will be warmer; that’s my point.

A blessed fall to you and yours. Check back soon.